In The News: Drum Once Again Mentioned As Missile Site

The web site syracuse.com reported Sunday that the Pentagon will conduct a study later this year of potential east coast sites for a missile defense system - and Fort Drum is high on the list.

This is the latest mention of Fort Drum as a potential home for a missile defense site. The U.S. already has two such sites on the west coast, but none on the east coast.

The web site notes "Some Republican members of Congress are pushing for a third site on the East Coast to counter what they view as an emerging threat from Iran, which they fear will develop an intercontinental ballistic missile by 2015 that could strike the United States."

The missile defense system would involve at least 20 anti-missile missiles placed in underground silos at Drum, and the project would bring $3.6 billion and hundreds of good jobs to the area.

Syracuse.com said the study later this year will be an 'environmental impact' study, done to comply with an order from Congress.

Further information:

- We reported on the potential for a missile defense site at Drum in April of 2012. See our story here.

- The Watertown Times reported on a group critical of the idea of placing missiles at Drum in a December, 2012 story. Read it here.